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Mirrors and towball

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Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:50 am
by Linda J (deleted)

We are new to towing and need to get mirrors and a towball for our VW tiguan. Can anyone recommend any to us please?

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:51 am
by Pepé Le Pew •

| 2.731 Posts

Hello Linda

As far as extension mirrors are concerned, these - the Milenco Aero - are probably your best bet. Get a pair, but whether you opt for convex or flat mirrors on both sides or just one is a matter of taste.

A flat mirror will give you a true view; a convex one will broaden the field of that view but will make things in it appear further away than they actually are. I got flat mirrors, but as the offside mirror on my car has an aspherical (convex) outer section to eliminate the over-the-shoulder blind spot in any case, I didn't really need a convex extension.

When it comes to towbars, the best advice I can offer is to talk to these people. Give them a ring, and tell them what you want.

Don't make your nearest VW dealer your first port of call. They will almost certainly outsource the job to a local fitter, and they will mark it up.

A dedicated outfit like PF Jones is the best bet by far.

Last edited Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:09 pm | Scroll up

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:21 pm
by Aaron Calder •

| 3.797 Posts

Wise words from Pete, Linda, and exactly the advice I'd have given if I'd got here sooner.

You can mount the Milenco Aero mirrors horizontally or vertically depending on the width of your car and caravan. I mount ours vertically.

Forum Administrator
2003 Triton 420 and Audi A4 2.0Tfsi S-line SE Cabriolet

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:25 pm
by Pepé Le Pew •

| 2.731 Posts

Quote: Aaron Calder wrote in post #3
Wise words from Pete...

I'm putty in your hands, you silver-tongued devil

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:33 pm
by hob (deleted)

Quote: Linda J wrote in post #1
We are new to towing and need to get mirrors and a towball for our VW tiguan. Can anyone recommend any to us please?

Just a towball or the whole towbar?

If just the towball then depending on what is already fitted an alco towball can be bought for a few pounds.

If we are talking about the whole towbar and electrics then there are 2 types of electrics in use, either 2 x 7 pin sockets or 1 x 13 pin socket it would be best to get the same system as the caravan has to save having to use an adaptor.
Not sure you have a caravan yet.? if not perhaps better to wait until you have one to see which type of electrical socket \ s it has?

Time flies like an arrow...................fruit flies like a banana

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:39 pm
by Frantone (deleted)

I would echo Pete's comment about not depending on the VW dealer.
When we had a T5 the 'specialist' VW dealership could not persuade the ECU to communicate with the towing electrics!
TonyP

Stercus accidit!

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:10 pm
by Deeps (deleted)

Quote: Aaron Calder wrote in post #3
You can mount the Milenco Aero mirrors horizontally or vertically depending on the width of your car and caravan. I mount ours vertically.

Just to add to this in case of any possible confusion. They can be mounted with either the pointy bit upwards, downwards or horizontally as the image in the link provided shows. Additionally, the mirror 'arm' can either be secured to the underside of the mirror or the top, again as shown in the image.

I prefer to mount mine with the pointy bit up as my VW Touran mirrors already give a very good rearward view behind our Triton 430 and have only fitted them so as not to look the odd one out as far as PC Plod is concerned. Also a bit more of a view can't hurt I suppose. The mirror 'arm' I have attached to the top of the mirror as this locates the mirror slightly above the standard mirror height of your average saloon car and so should help in avoiding mirror to mirror collisions. I would suggest that this would also apply to your VW Tiguan.

2013 Triton 430, VW Touran TDI
мы прибываем невидимые

Last edited Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:46 pm | Scroll up

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:24 pm
by Randa france •

| 13.048 Posts

Quote: hob wrote in post #5
Not sure you have a caravan yet.? if not perhaps better to wait until you have one to see which type of electrical socket \ s it has?

Hi Linda and John.

Just to be clear, you are awaiting the arrival of a new Eriba so therefore it will have 13 pin electrics and presumably an ALKO tow hitch therefore

you'll need 13 pin electrics on your car and, unless you plumb for a removable swan neck tow ball, an ALKO tow ball which has an extended neck.

http://www.al-ko.co.uk/pages/towball.html

R and A

1999 Eriba Troll 530 pushing a VW Touran 2L TDi Match

Last edited Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:44 pm | Scroll up

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:49 pm
by Aaron Calder •

| 3.797 Posts

The attached picture shows Milenco Aero mirrors mounted vertically on our previous tow car, pointy end up.

P1010346.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Forum Administrator
2003 Triton 420 and Audi A4 2.0Tfsi S-line SE Cabriolet

Last edited Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:49 pm | Scroll up

#10

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:14 pm
by Pop540 (deleted)

great advice given above
plus
if you eriba has the pads in the hitch remove grease and paint from the ball, as the containments stop the pads from doing there job.

Eriba troll 540 likes constant hugs, and buffs and the odd cuppa.

#11

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:15 am
by Linda J (deleted)

Thanks to all for the very helpful responses especially to Pepe Le Pew for such a quick and comprehensive one. As a result we have looked into the Milenco Aero mirrors and we will get one to try. Only reservation we have is that we think we have read somewhere that on a VW Tiguan that the gap between the mirror and the outer casing is a bit narrow and makes fitting the clamps tricky. Has anyone had any problems in this regard?

The advice we have received re the tow bar is also helpful. Unfortunately http://www.pfjones.co.uk/ don't operate where we live but we have heard about http://www.ajgrant.co.uk/ in Inverness who seem to offer a similar service. We will go hear what they say bearing in mind the advice we have received. There is no substitute for advice from users who have been there before. We really appreciate it.

#12

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:36 am
by Deeps (deleted)

Just had a look at my neighbours Tiguan and the gap between the mirror itself and the housing visually appears to be the same as on my Touran so based on that totally unscientific observation it should fit.

2013 Triton 430, VW Touran TDI BM
мы прибываем невидимые - we arrive invisible

Last edited Thu Jul 13, 2017 4:47 pm | Scroll up

#13

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:23 am
by Steamdrivenandy (deleted)

Tip for removing containments, or even contaniments from tow balls and pads is to use spray brake cleaner, it leaves no residue.

Amber a Lunar Quasar 464 Sussex Amberley Sussex Caravans dealer special pushing a '59 reg. Kia Cee'd 3 SW 1.6 CRDi Automatic, a rough towing ratio of 86%.

#14

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:55 pm
by Aaron Calder •

| 3.797 Posts

Quote: Steamdrivenandy wrote in post #13
Tip for removing containments, or even contaniments from tow balls and pads is to use spray brake cleaner, it leaves no residue.

My finger has been hovering over the 'edit' button since this appeared.

Can we agree on 'contaminants'?

Forum Administrator
2003 Triton 420 and Audi A4 2.0Tfsi S-line SE Cabriolet

#15

RE: Mirrors and towball

in We've got it down to a T Fri Jan 24, 2014 5:19 pm
by Steamdrivenandy (deleted)

how about 'contimanents'.

Amber a Lunar Quasar 464 Sussex Amberley Sussex Caravans dealer special pushing a '59 reg. Kia Cee'd 3 SW 1.6 CRDi Automatic, a rough towing ratio of 86%.

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